Chapter 15

15

B efore his uncle and cousin left Darcy House, they both commended him for his choice. Darcy was extraordinarily proud of his wife. He appreciated how she treated his servants with kindness and him with respect. He enjoyed spending time with her.

His intention was not to display his growing affection for her by holding her hand in front of his family but there was something about her that drew him in, that intrigued him until his focus drifted only to her.

His pleasant musing was interrupted by his butler.

“Sir, this just arrived.” He handed Darcy a letter. “According to the messenger, this is from Lord Malcolm Armstrong.”

“Please send for Mrs. Darcy.”

Breaking the seal, he read:

12 February 1813

Darcy,

From the very first line, the words provoked Darcy. Never would he permit Armstrong to address him informally. The baron intentionally chose to stir Darcy’s ire.

You must be in no doubt as to my reason for contacting you. You removed certain items from Netherfield Park that belong to me. This theft will not go unpunished. However, as a reasonable man, I might overlook the crime should you deliver to me not only the son of Charles Bingley but the records of his personal and business assets before this day ends.

Do not be in any doubt that I will assert my authority in the highest courts in England. The child and Bingley’s assets are mine. Any claim by you or anyone else is made invalid by the single fact that Bingley was as inept in death as he was in life by not legally appointing a representative for the care of the child and his assets. There is not a judge in England who would not give me precedence over a man wholly unrelated to Charles Bingley. Your attaching yourself to the family by marrying Bingley’s sister-in-law is a weak attempt to increase your purse and prematurely fill your nursery.

I will leave no stone unturned in building a case against you. In so doing, I now have as an employee a former close associate who is highly motivated to disparage you. Perhaps you recall George Wickham? With the details he has shared about you and Miss Darcy, there is not a court that would give you guardianship of an innocent child.

I expect to see your carriage draw up in front of Armstrong House before nightfall. Any delay will be costly.

Lord Armstrong

When Elizabeth entered, he handed the letter to her, waiting to say anything until she finished reading.

Sitting on the sofa in front of the fire, she patted the seat next to her after reading the missive. “Fitzwilliam, each word of this letter is carefully crafted to both intimidate and irritate us. His accusation of theft is untrue since we have taken nothing belonging to him. Had we abandoned Charlie to the care of Netherfield Park’s servants without providing him a nurse, the chances of his survival would have been nil. Meryton’s apothecary bleeds everyone for any illness. Imagine if your physician had done the same to Charlie. There would be no happy little boy in our nursery.” She chewed her bottom lip before asking, “I had not thought of Mr. Wickham since the regiment departed Hertfordshire for Brighton. Once he engaged himself to Mary King, I put him out of my mind. Even when her uncle broke the entanglement, my interest was not revived. Because you and I argued at Bingley’s ball about him, I am aware there is trouble between you. What does he know of you and your sister?”

“What do you know of him?” Darcy asked.

“Only that you hold him in disregard and that Miss Bingley once warned me that he had harmed you, although she was not specific about what that harm entailed. Mr. Wickham revealed that you withheld a living from him. It was on this basis that I judged you, Fitzwilliam. I know now that you would never have been unfair.”

Darcy was grateful for her support. Any time the name Wickham came up, a giant knot formed in his stomach. “Wickham is a liar, a cheat, and a reprobate with enough charm to make an educated man believe that black is really white or up is really down.” Darcy inhaled slowly to slow the galloping of his heart. “Elizabeth, there are few men whom I consider close friends, many more that I regard as acquaintances, some I would rather not be in company with, but only one I loathe with every fiber of my being. George Wickham is that man.”

At her raised brow, he continued. “Did Wickham tell you that he grew up at Pemberley as the son of my father’s steward, an honorable man whom my father respected?”

“He did. ”

“In this, he did not lie. My father, again out of respect for Pemberley’s steward’s integrity, agreed to claim George Wickham as a godson. Since George and I were close in age, we both enjoyed being out of doors exploring Pemberley’s woods and fields. We got on well before Eton. After was a different matter. From then until we left Cambridge, we were thrown together almost constantly despite our contrary nature. Where I studied and learned, George gambled and partied his way through university, being sent down more than once. Despite his vile activities, my father never recognized his godson’s flaws.”

This time, it was Elizabeth who entwined her fingers with his. “I am sorry. What a miserable situation for you.”

Her sympathy and her ready acceptance soothed him.

“I thank you.” His thumb stroked the back of her hand. “There is no need to list his sins, for the task would take weeks. I would not be surprised if Miss King’s uncle discovered only a portion of George’s crimes, completely justifying calling off the marriage. Suffice it to say that Wickham would not hesitate to lie if it was to his advantage. As you experienced, his charm, along with his convincing persona, renders him believable to most. My father was highly intelligent, yet he never suspected Wickham of being a rake in spite of my repeated warnings. George has no loyalty. Even though he owed my family everything, he would ruin me, especially if he could hide behind someone as powerful as Lord Armstrong. In the past, he tried passing off his sins by using my name. My reputation was satisfactory enough to dispute the claims. He is a dangerous tool for Armstrong to use against us, though. I can only imagine the garbage spewing from his mouth.”

She drew back.

“Elizabeth, I cannot protect you if you are not aware where dangers lurk.”

“I appreciate your warning. Husband, you met John Lucas when you first arrived in Meryton. Although I would never consider him to be charming, he has the proclivity to exaggerate a situation until he always appears to be the hero. Over the years, he has honed his fictitious storytelling skills by adding enough elements of truth into his account that his tales are believable, not just by those who are gullible. Tell me, is there anything Mr. Wickham could reveal having a partial foundation in the truth that could damage the trust that I have in you?” She clasped his arm. “Before you respond, I mentioned that I trust you, and this is true. However, I did not know you well prior to our marriage, it has only been a mere three days since we wed. Any feelings and opinions I have are new and fragile.”

She was so wise. And lovely. Firelight reflected in her eyes as her cheeks brightened from her speech. Her chin tilted in a charming way that challenged him, delighted him, stirred his desire.Considering his words, he knew that nothing less than the unadulterated truth would suffice.

“I am not perfect, and neither is my sister. You must know, Georgiana has forever been timid. Richard is her co-guardian. We sheltered her. Too much. When she was left on her own, she was vulnerable. Three months before I came to Meryton, I established her at a seaside cottage at Ramsgate. Wickham turned his full charm on her, confusing her into agreeing to elope with him. She thought she was in love and had been told I would approve of him as her husband. All along, he greedily desired her fortune, knowing how much their connection would hurt me. I arrived in time to stop her from joining him and her treacherous companion in the carriage destined for Gretna Green. She was despondent until she came under the care of Aunt Fitzwilliam. As for me…” He rubbed his hand over his mouth, wishing he did not need to share his imperfections. Yet, he comprehended how wise it was to know this information in advance.

She leaned against him, bumping his shoulder. “Before you continue, might I speak? For you see, I have grievous sins that, if brought up in court, would have you question the mental acuity and moral purity of your bride.”

He wanted to chuckle when her eyes sparkled. Instead, he arched his brow, imitating her.

“Very well. Sir, that slight pause was to allow you to jump in and tell me that you are certain you would never find a flaw in me, no matter how hard you searched. Since you did not, I will confess that there is a shelf in my father’s bookroom that I was forbidden to read, or rather, to look at the images on the page. In stubborn disobedience, I looked at every one of them. However, before you are shocked beyond sensibility, I was only eight at the time. The drawings meant absolutely nothing to me. By the time I was old enough to realize what they were, my father had the books magically removed to never appear again on any of the shelves at Longbourn. Additionally, I have skirted the truth more than once, and I have taken something without permission. Longbourn’s cook makes the best berry jam in the world. When she was not looking, I would sneak an extra scoop for my scone. Again, at the time, I thought I was convinced no one would ever know of my theft, not realizing that the telltale purple stains on my teeth gave me away. I am quick to judge and assume my judgments are accurate. Only recently have I learned that I can be as wrong as I thought I was right. With regards to Mr. Wickham, I was entirely in error. ”

“Those are grave sins, indeed.” He appreciated her attempts to lighten the mood and make it easier for him to share his turmoil. Still, Darcy must continue. She deserved to know the man she married.

“Elizabeth, pray, listen carefully because I only want to tell you this once. When George and I entered Cambridge, there were opportunities for vice that we never encountered before. Wine flowed freely, cigars, card games, and lascivious ladies made themselves readily available to the wealthy sons of important men. The pressure from my peers and those women was intense. I was young enough that my desires were almost impossible to control. Wickham jumped into the fray without hesitation. I was far less impetuous. Even knowing that my every decision would be reported to Father, I attended a party hosted by upperclassmen. There was this one female who targeted me. She knew exactly what to say and how to flaunt her body. I…oh, lord, I cannot continue….”

“Just say it,” she whispered.

“I kissed her.” His stomach churned. “Her breath was sour, and the smell of her gagged me until I feared I would cast up my accounts in her mouth. I pushed her away, emptied my pockets, and threw the coins at her as the others laughed at me, Wickham being the loudest. The humiliation from my peers was nothing compared to the anger I felt with myself for being stupid enough to attend that idiotic event.”

“You and I are not so bad,” Elizabeth admitted. “Yet, with Mr. Wickham’s ability to blend a hint of the truth with lies, he could weave a tale that incriminated either of us in the eyes of the court.”

“He would do anything to make you loathe being my wife. ”

Instead of withdrawing from him, Elizabeth’s fingers brushed his cheek. Leaning forward, he gladly closed the distance.

She tasted of every good thing he had ever known in his life—sunshine, spring wildflowers, and sweet apples picked directly from the tree. One kiss followed another until his worries vanished. Awed, he pulled her even closer.